The Saga of Two Heroes
by GrandNinjaMasterRen
Summary: Link never expected to be the hero. He never expected to fight an evil king. He never expected to befriend his mortal enemy. And above all Link never in all his life thought he would get a power beyond even Ganondorf's dreams. Rated T for occasional swearing and gore.
1. Prolouge

**Prologue**

The _**Twilight Talisman**_ is a powerful amulet of immeasurable strength. Estimated to be at least ten times stronger than the completed _**Triforce**_ , the _**Twilight Talisman**_ is too powerful to be wielded by any one person, but the power cannot be divided amongst two or more people. The _**Talisman**_ itself is said to have been carved from the primordial nebula that formed the earth under _**Hylia**_ 's watchful eye. Legends handed to the Chosen of the Goddesses speak of power over light and shadows, held within the wielder's grasp. Anyone who has attempted to locate this ancient relic has never returned. To this day the _**Twilight Talisman**_ remains unseen and it's power untapped.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One: A Fate Worse Than Death

Link stepped into the room, sword held aloft. There were no visible walls or ceiling. The sole occupant of the room, aside from the blue-clad teen that had just entered, was a gnarled tree. Link saw no enemies and the way to the other side was clear, so he walked past the twisted tree, splashing through the shallow water.

"Hn."

The quiet scoff was enough to make the Hero of Time freeze and whirl around, ready for battle. Still not seeing any adversaries, Link lowered his guard some. The shadows around the tree darkened and solidified into a familiar face: Link's own.

The teen was pale and looked all the more so due to his tunic, which was of the purest black. His hat hung long over his shoulder, partially covering raven hair. He was leaning against the tree in a supremely unconcerned manner.

"Pathetic." The venom in the youth's voice startled Link. The Hero of Time raised his sword and shield, ready to defend against an attack. The other boy pushed off the tree and began to walk towards Link, drawing his midnight blade and readying an equally dark replica of the Hylian Shield.

"Hey! Listen!" Navi's shout drew their attention. Link's head snapped up. "His name is D-"

"Just call me Dark." The teen interrupted. He smiled maliciously at Link. "So, are you going to attack me or just stand there and wait for Lord Ganondorf to destroy the rest of Hyrule? I'm all for the latter, but…"

Link rushed forwards and attempted to slash Dark across the chest. Dark smirked and leapt lightly onto The Master Sword. Dark backflipped over Link slashing at his back with the ebony blade. Link fell to the ground with a cry of pain as crimson blood began dying the back of his blue tunic purple.

"Weak. Pathetic. Useless." Dark spat," Mido was right, You are a failure. Failed to stop Ganondorf from taking over Hyrule. Failed to save Zelda when it counted most. Dampe, Malon, Talon, the Great Deku Tree, the little kid with the masks. It's all your fault; the deaths, Ganondorf's rule. All of it."

Link forced himself to his feet.

"Do you ever stop monologuing?"

Dark laughed coldly. "You...Do you really think you have a chance to beat me? I'm your darkest thoughts, the part you hide from everyone, including yourself. I know your fear, your pain, your despair."

"You don't know anything!" Link shouted, charging at Dark. Link swung his blade diagonally rather than slashing horizontally. Dark backflipped away. Link pressed the attack, whilst Dark continued to backflip just out of reach. Suddenly, Dark leapt forwards and struck out with his sword. Link barely managed to block the blade with his shield. Dark sprung forward once more and Link, seeing an opening caught the black sword between his own sword and shield. Link wrenched the sword from Dark's hands, flinging it aside where it splashed down in the shallow water. Dark backflipped once again, but Link rushed forwards and, with a cry of mixed pain and rage, stabbed the Blade of Evil's Bane through Dark's chest. Dark's expression was one of betrayal.

"I know that this to you is a fate worse than death." He said softly.

Dark faded back into the shadows, leaving behind a shell-shocked Link and a small, empty, water-filled room.

"I'm sorry." Link whispered. He turned and left the room.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Light and Shadow

Link leveled the Master Sword against Ganon. He didn't have any potions left and his stamina was almost out. Ganon roared and charged. Link sidestepped and backed away, aiming to strike the Evil Beast's tail. Ganon turned and charged once more as Link slipped on one of the potholes that littered the battlefield. Link's sword skittered across the ground. His ankle gave a loud crack. Unable to stand, with his enemy bearing down on him Link closed his eyes. The blow he was expecting never came. Link peeked through his eyelids. Dark was standing in front of him holding back Ganon by the tusks.

"You know for some reason I thought you'd be more of a challenge." Dark said conversationally.

He shoved the Evil Beast back, then teleported to the Master Sword.

"Ooh shiny," He said mischievously, picking up the blade. He gave a soft cry of pain and bared his pointed teeth as the blade singed his hand.

"Sooie! Come on little piggy!" Dark taunted. Ganon focused on the shade. Dark charged forwards and jumped onto Ganon's snout, using it like a springboard to backflip over Ganon's weapons and land a couple of hits on Ganon's tail. With a roar of pain Ganon collapsed and the barrier dispelled; The battle was over.

Dark approached Link, the Master Sword still in hand. Link froze. Had Dark saved him just to kill Link himself?

"You really should be more careful." Dark said softly. He set the Blade of Evil's Bane in front of the injured Hero of Time. Dark backed away as Zelda rushed forward. Link pushed himself up to a sitting position and grabbed his sword. He didn't think he could use the blade to fight at his current level of strength, however.

'Link you did it! You beat Ganon and saved Hyrule." Zelda cheered. Link was hardly paying attention to the Princess as she rambled on. His eyes were focused on Dark, standing a few metres away and watching both Princess and Hero with wistful, crimson eyes.

"-We'll have to throw a party, of course. A party for the Hero of… Are you even listening to me, Link?" Zelda's voice cut through the spell Dark's eyes had cast on his Light counterpart.

"Sorry, Zelda. My mind was elsewhere." Link said, turning his gaze back to the Princess. Zelda turned to see what Link had been looking at.

"What is it still doing here? Isn't it one of Ganon's creations?" Zelda's words were not spoken quietly. Link saw the emotion in those crimson eyes turn from melancholy sadness to anger.

" _He_ just saved my life, Zelda. As far as I'm concerned he can stand there and stare creepily at me all he wants. Though now that you mention it." Raising his voice a little Link called,"Hey, Dark! Wanna stop being creepy and actually hold a conversation?"

Dark's eyes widened at the use of his name. He took a few smell steps towards them, and, when none stopped him came and crouched by Link's right hand, carefully out of sword reach.

"Why did you save me?" Link asked. Dark looked distinctly uncomfortable. Then he scowled.

"I wasn't saving you."

"But-" Zelda tried to protest. Dark whirled on her.

"Him ultimately not dying was just a side effect! Ganon treated me like trash! I was made from your darkness, to be your opposite. When I failed to kill you in the Water Temple…" He trailed off, unconsciously rubbing his arm. Dark stood.

"I should go."

"Wait. Thank you." Link said. Dark gave him a two fingered salute and melted into shadows.

* * *

"They will do." A man said in a low voice from his point outside space and time. He fixed his gaze on the two parts of the Hero.

"May Fortune favor you, Heroes of the Ancients" The man held a small figurine on a chain.

"And may the power of the Talisman be yours." He dropped the Amulet, which flew through the fabric of the universe to land where it was needed. The man walked away, fading to nothing.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: A Power Beyond Mortal Man

Dark paced the empty boss chamber of the Water Temple. Link's words kept returning to the shade's mind.

~ _He saved my life~_

 _~I'm sorry~_

 _~Thank you~_

Dark fell to his knees, slamming his fists against the floor.

"Dammit! Why the Hell did I save _**Him**_?!" Dark pushed himself back up to standing, breathing heavily. He punched the wall, and furiously began pacing again. The soft 'clink' of something hitting the tile floor interrupted his brooding. Dark's red eyes searched the room for any threats, but there were none. A small black snake figurine with a bronze chain that was attached to the snake just behind its head was lying on the floor a few paces away. The mouth of the snake held a red gemstone. Dark hesitantly picked it up and bounced it on his palm before slipping the chain over his head.

"Well, now that I have a fancy necklace and a bruised hand, what am I going to do?" Dark paused, his eyes widening.

"What am I going to do? What is my purpose now that Ganon is dead? What else do I have to live for besides my revenge…" He trailed off, trying to hold back seven years worth of unshed tears.

"You will be a great hero," a man's voice said. Dark drew his sword and spun around to see…

* * *

Link fidgeted uncomfortably. Zelda smoothed his collar.

"Relax, Link. It's a banquet, not a dungeon. Nothing is going to try to kill you." Link ran his hand through his hair.

"I know, Zelda. It's just… After so long wearing all the armor and weapons, I feel kinda... naked without them." The princess smiled at Link.

"Don't worry. The only dangerous thing here is Lord Thidrek's dancing." Zelda continued to chatter about dancing and the various nobles. Link glanced longingly towards the window as the princess dragged him towards the ballroom. Link tugged his arm free of Zelda's hand as they approached the doors.

"-Link. Are you even listening?"

"Wha..huh?" was his eloquent answer. She sighed.

"Try to have fun. This is your party, Fairy boy." Zelda teased.

"Don't call me that." Link said shortly.

"Sorry. Anyhow it's time for a party. Let's go!" the princess of Hyrule opened the door and walked into the ballroom full of dancing nobility. Link followed uncomfortably in her wake.

* * *

Link leaned against the balcony railing. The cool night air whistled through the branches of the trees in the courtyard. Link sighed.

"I've saved Hyrule. Now, what?" He asked the night sky.

"Bring balance to all of reality." a woman's honey-sweet voice answered. Link spun around, hand reaching above his shoulder for the blade that wasn't there.

"You startled me. Um… Who are you exactly?" Link stammered. The woman smiled warmly.

"I am Hylia." Link's eyes widened. He threw himself into a bow. Hylia laughed softly.

"There is no need for that right now. I do not have much time. You will need this to complete your mission." She handed him a snake charm on a silver chain. The snake seemed to be made of some kind of milky white gemstone and it held a blue gem in its fanged jaws. Link slipped the chain around his neck.

"Um… What is this?" Link asked, pulling his attention away from the necklace. Hylia was gone.

* * *

Hylia appeared beside the man.

"Hello, My Darling" He said quietly, taking her hand.

"They have the Talisman. Now they have to figure out how to use it. If not for the Laws…" She trailed off.

"Now, My Dear, you know we cannot spend much time in the mortal world. Remnants of our power still exist in that plane." He chided.

"Then we must trust them to use the Talisman for its purpose." Hylia stated.

"Indeed, we must. Come My Darling."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Beginning of Legends

" _Me_ , a great hero? I want whatever you're smoking." Dark scoffed. The shade leaned back against the wall.

"This is not a laughing matter, Dark. Time is short. You must seek out your light." The man replied stiffly. He turned his back to Dark allowing him to get an unobstructed view of the double helix blade strapped to the man's back. Dark averted his eyes.

"I can't. Look at me. I'm half a person, the wrong half," Dark whispered. The man put a hand on the shade's shoulder.

"Do not fear, little shadow. Everything will be fine in time. Trust your instincts." The hand dropped off Dark's shoulder. He looked up. The man was gone. Dark pulled the amulet out of his shirt and examined it.

"Trust your instincts. Seek out your light," He mocked,"What a stiff." Dark tucked the Talisman back under his tunic. Casting one last look around, he melted into the shadows.

* * *

Link found himself dancing with Princess Zelda's cousin, Lorelei. He spun her, barely managing to avoid tripping over his feet. Suddenly, he caught sight of a face in the crowd that wasn't supposed to be there. Dark smirked as this time Link did trip. Dark somehow caught Lorelei's hand before she fell and handed her to some awkward guy lurking in the corner.

"We need to talk." Dark said quietly, offering a hand. Link grabbed his shadow's hand and pushed himself to his feet.

"Link!" Zelda's cry brought the Hero of Time back to awareness about where he was.

"I'm just gonna borrow him for awhile. M'kay? No? Too bad." Dark quipped, ignoring Zelda's protests. Dark grabbed Link's ear and tugged his light counterpart towards the door, Link struggling all the while.

* * *

"Okay, what do you want, Dark?" Link asked, sitting on the railing of the balcony. Dark didn't answer immediately.

Finally, Dark sighed and said," A man showed up in a locked room and told me to 'seek out my light' and 'trust my instincts' and that I'm going to become a 'great hero.'" Link was semi-impressed that Dark had said all that in one breath.

"Hylia said I was supposed to 'bring balance to all of reality' or something and gave me this." Link pulled out the snake charm and showed it to Dark. Dark pulled out his own charm. As one they slipped the chain from around their neck and brought the snakes together. A slight push and pull was felt as the amulets got closer to touching, as if they were both attracting and repelling each other. As the charms touched a blast of something both light and dark bathed the sky in Twilight. The air was a misty grey/gold and ethereal black squares hung in midair.

"Did anyone warn you about that?" Dark asked staring up at the sky in a mixture of awe and panic.

"Nope."

"Can we fix it?" Link shrugged.

"Won't know 'till we try."

"How do we do that?"

"Uh… Um… It started when we put the amulets together, right? So, just take 'em apart." Link theorized.

"Hn, Guess that makes sense." Dark attempted to pull apart the snakes, but the white snake singed his hand with light magic.

"Together," Dark said," We set it off together, maybe we have to work together to put it back."

Link grabbed the white snake and concentrated on pulling it away from the black snake. The two halves of the talisman suddenly split sending both halves of the hero sliding in opposite directions and the Twilight-covered sky returned to night.

* * *

Hylia laughed. The Fierce Deity just shook his head.

"Come on, Love. Even _you_ have to admit that they are hilarious when they act like that." The goddess giggled.

"I'm beginning to doubt our choice of heroes."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: All He's Ever Known

Link stood up, rubbing the back of his head. Dark was still on his feet and snickering softly.

"Having trouble, Link?" he taunted.

"Shut up, Dark." There was a pause as Link realized what he was doing. ' _Why the heck am I talking to him like this? As if we're friends? He tried to kill me._

"Hey! Listen!"

Link's head snapped up at the shout. Dark had called Navi's warning.

"Are you going to make a habit of zoning out, Hero boy?" the shade asked.

"Don't do that." Link said sharply. Dark winced.

"Sorry. I didn't think it would bother you that much."

Suddenly the Princess and a detail of Castle Guards burst through the doors to the balcony. The guards pulled their weapons out and leveled them at Dark.

"Your orders, My Lady?", one of the guards inquired.

"Zelda, What are you doing?", Link practically shouted.

"It is dangerous. It attacked you and tried to kill you." Zelda said calmly, then to the guards, "Put it down." Dark narrowed his eyes, his hand twitching towards his sword.

"No!" Link shouted. He pushed his way past the guards and stood with his back to Dark.

"You can't blame him for that."

"And why not? It attacked and threatened both me and one of my subjects."

Link was close to tears, but he said,"Combat is all he's ever known. Anyway he attacked _me_. Not you or anyone else. I don't blame him." Dark blinked in shock. One of the guard pointed his halberd at the Hero of Time.

"Link, be reasonable. He could just be pretending to be helpful and nice so he could kill everyone in power. He-" Zelda's pleading was cut off by Dark laughing. Cruel, cold, mocking laughter.

"I don't give a shit about power." the shade deadpanned.

"I don't believe you." Zelda stated. Dark jumped lightly on to the balcony railing.

"Congratulations, _Princess_." He said the title like it was an insult. "Fuck this shit. I'm out." He backflipped off the balcony and turned into shadows.

"Showoff." Link muttered.

* * *

Zelda was pacing the chamber. Link was calmly standing in front of her, half expecting to be punished for the fiasco that had happened at the party. The hero's face showed no signs of the inexplicable worry he felt for his… what was Dark to him? Enemy? Friend? Brother? Link wasn't sure about anything regarding the shade anymore.

"-interfere with justice?" Zelda turned to face him, "Link, pay attention. I don't like to repeat myself."

"Hmm… Oh, Sorry. I was lost in thought I guess." Zelda frowned.

"What were you saying, Zel?", Link asked.

" I asked why you saved him last night." the Princess stated. Link tugged his hat off with one hand and ran his other hand through his hair.

"I… I don't… I don't know.", Link admitted, "I felt… Guilty, I guess." Link walked over to the table and took a sip of water from his goblet. Zelda paused in her pacing to look at Link.

"Guilty?", she asked, "Why would you feel guilty?" He turned away from her, replaced his cap and began fiddling with the ruby encrusted goblet.

"I… He's my darkness, I'm his light. He feels _my_ pain, _my_ fear. I'm slowly draining him… and I didn't even know it. I'm… relentlessly attacking _him_ without… needing to draw a blade." Zelda's eyes softened.

"You feel guilty because you are hurting him by helping yourself." She walked to him and touched his arm gently, "It's okay-"

"No! No! It's not okay! I've just been giving him all my problems! He should hate me! It's my fault!" Link's gauntleted hands were clenched into fists and tears were freely streaming down his cheeks. The water from his goblet was spilled across the stone floor and the cup itself lay just next to the wall, dented and unusable.

* * *

"This may be more of a problem than I originally thought.", the Fierce Deity stated impassively.


End file.
